Mexico Rejects U.S. Request: New York Times

Mexico has rejected a request from the United States to expel two dozen Russian intelligence agents operating under diplomatic cover in the country, according to The New York Times, citing sources within the U.S. administration.

Since the direct invasion of Ukraine by Russia began in 2022, Russian intelligence activity in Mexico has reportedly increased sharply. In recent years, Mexico has accepted many Russian agents, over 100 of whom have been expelled from the United States, as staff of Russian diplomatic missions.

According to sources cited by the newspaper, Mexico is an attractive platform for meeting agents operating in the United States, especially considering that millions of Americans vacation there each year. Concerns in Washington have grown to the extent that the U.S. embassy in Mexico City created a position of "Russia Observer" in August, tasked with monitoring the activities of Russian agents in Mexico.

As reported by The New York Times, the Mexican government was provided with a list of names of two dozen Russian intelligence agents compiled by the CIA. Mexican authorities insist they have not received this list and that the American concerns are exaggerated.

Meanwhile, Mexican intelligence agencies remain primarily focused on combating drug trafficking. In this context, Mexico, which was a center of Soviet intelligence activity during the Cold War and was known as "the Vienna of Latin America," continues to create fertile ground for Russian espionage.

"The Mexican government has helped in some ways, but it could do much more," said Juan Gonzalez, a former official in Biden's National Security Council, to the newspaper.